Stay with me
by xxlovely
Summary: A take on the events leading and immediately following the flashbacks of 'the other time'. Loosely based on the song Stay with me- Sam Smith. Donna/Harvey One shot.


_Guess it's true, I'm not good at a one-night stand _

_But I still need love 'cause I'm just a man _

_These nights never seem to go to plan_

_ I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?_

_Oh, won't you stay with me? _

_'Cause you're all I need _

_This ain't love it's clear to see _

_But darling, stay with me_

_Why am I so emotional? _

_No it's not a good look, gain some self control_

_ And deep down I know this never works _

_But you can lay with me so it doesn't hurt_

**_Stay with me- Sam Smith_**

* * *

She stared at her phone, her eyes rereading the sentence over and over again, hoping that it would eventually change, but it didn't.

He was leaving her.

Deep down she knew that nothing lasts forever, but she silently hoped, maybe even prayed once or twice that the two of them could defy the norm. She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers against her eyelids, mentally scolding herself for doing so, no doubt smudging her eyeliner. How could he not tell her this in person? Didn't she at least deserve the common courtesy of being told that she would probably be out of a job, due to the fact that he was leaving the District Attorney's office? She pushed aside the uneasily feeling rising in her stomach, ignoring the feelings of hurt and betrayal, letting the anger consume her instead.

She hit delete, erasing the text as she grabbed the bottle of wine standing half full on her kitchen counter, quickly pouring herself a large glass. She sat down, how the hell did Pam find out about Harvey quitting before she did? Why hadn't she been the first person he told? She leant over to her laptop, scanning the email she had quickly drafted- her resignation letter.

She was probably being stupid, despite knowing how fucked things had got down at the DA's office recently, she knew that with a carefully constructed speech that she could survive there with or without Harvey Specter. She took a deep breath, seeing the responses that had already come through from numerous law firms she had flippantly contacted, offering her a job. She pressed send. She had resigned.

It was time to move on. If Harvey could do it, so could she.

She took a large sip of her wine, hoping that the alcohol would take her mind off of the other factors that swayed her decision.

What if he offered her a job at his new firm? What if they could continue being the dream team? It was a 1 in a million chance, but she had her back up plans, and the smallest piece of hope, was enough for her.

Staring at the now empty bottle of wine, she huffed out a breath, her mind working in overdrive as she tried to figure out her next move. She was Donna Paulsen for crying out loud, she had proved to herself that she could get a job anywhere in the City in a blink of an eye, so why was she finding it so hard to see past the fact that she would no longer have Harvey Specter by her side? Sure Harvey was her friend, and she was sure that they would still remain friends even after the move, but she couldn't ignore the small nagging feeling that had spread from the pit of her stomach up towards her brain.

If they no longer worked together, her rule no longer applied to them.

The two of them working together, had established cold, hard boundaries between them. With the obvious rule of no workplace relationships, combined with her own personal rule of never getting involved with someone she worked with, her and Harvey had always had a limited space for progression in their 'relationship'. It didn't mean that she didn't think about it, or him for that matter, they both did. Usually it was in the quietest part of the morning, or the darkest part of night, they would secretly let their minds drift off, their imaginations running wild with possibilities.

She had wanted to break her rule since the moment she laid eyes on him; the immediate physical attraction was almost too much for her to handle on his first day. So much so, that she left work that day in a frustrated mess, desperate for some sort of relief, which unfortunately resulted in a messy hook up with an ex. Not her finest move, but it seemed like her only option without being arrested for sexually harassing her boss.

She jumped as her phone vibrated beside her, her screen illuminating, showing an incoming text from Harvey.

"Oh so now he wants to talk" she muttered whilst simultaneously gulping down her drink.

_I think it's about time i finally see the inside of your place._

If she hadn't have already swallowed her mouthful, she was certain she would have down a spitake, nearly choking on her own breath. Harvey had never been to her place; it was another one of her rules. He had always joked that one day they would finally get between the sheets, and he would finally get the chance to see the inside of her apartment.

She hit reply, her hand shaking, her eyes wide as she looked around her apartment, wishing that somebody she knew would just appear and help her out. Or just maybe Dr. Phil, he would know what to say.

He sat in his office, staring at her empty desk, knowing that he was going to miss seeing her face everyday, even if she was a pain in the ass most of the time. The moment he quit the DA's office, it wasn't excitement over the prospect of a new job that he felt, nor was it the sadness that the end of an era was upon him, instead it was that he and Donna didn't work together anymore. The rule was now null and void. A glass of scotch later and he hit send on the text, there was no going back, she was either going to reject him, reject him or reject him.

His head scolded him for making the worst mistake ever, convinced he had just screwed up a friendship that would have otherwise survived the career move.

His heart... well he was ignoring his heart on the grounds that he was too fucking scared to embrace what it had to say.

And well, his friend down south had already pitched a tent and was standing to attention, ready to serve.

_Well, you know where i live._

He gulped, his eyes literally popping out of his head as he jumped off his seat, grabbing his suit jacket, already half way out the door. Arm extended in the air to hail a cab, his free hand sloppily texted a reply that if he had to vocalize, wouldn't be so coherent.

_I'll be there in 20._

She read his text as she threw her phone across the room scared, what the fuck had she just done? She jumped off of the sofa, pacing the length of the room, her hands gripping the roots her hair, tugging slightly as she internally freaked out. "Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she exclaimed loudly, now in full-blown panic. She looked down at what she was wearing- an old t-shirt and sweats; this was not sexy, not even to a blind man. She hurried into her room, ripping open the draws as she searched for something remotely suggestive. Her eyes landed on a violet silk number, "that'll do" she half shrugged, tearing her current outfit off her body, throwing the new one on. She looked at herself in the mirror, feeling self-conscious. Harvey had never seen her like this, what was he going to think. She grabbed a cream cardigan, throwing it over her shoulders before standing before her reflection once more.

"Thank fuck I shaved." she nodded to herself, already diverting one disaster. Running around for the next 10 minutes, she made her bed, lit a candle, drank one more glass of wine (okay, two glasses) and brushed her teeth. Her body relaxed a little more as the effect of the additional wine she had consumed kicked in, her head swimming a little as she felt a little more confident.

She opened the fridge, hoping that there was more alcohol inside, yet all she found were eggs, cheese and a can of whipped cream. She shrugged, grabbing the whipped cream as she opened her mouth, squirting some in her mouth, as there was a knock at the door. "Shit" she whisper shouted, mouth still full of aerosol whipped cream as she quickly swallowed, wiping the remainder away from her mouth with her sleeve. Still clutching the can she tried to compose herself, opening the door to find a suit clad Harvey, eyebrow arched, leaning against the doorframe.

"I decided what kind of attorney i want to be" he announced as she tried to lean against the door in a seductive manner, pouting her lips.

"I heard" she nodded "you quit"

"Did you hear that i handed over the toxicology report?" he smiled smugly, knowing that she didn't, he hadn't told anyone.

"You did?" she asked a little taken back, partially wanted to end the small talk and get to the interesting stuff.

He raised an eyebrow " I thought you were supposed to know everything? How did you not know this?"

"Well I decided I didn't want to stick around, considering."

"You quit?" he asked, taken back, his mind instantly jumping to the conclusion that it was because of him. "Donna I can't get you another job" he added in a slight panic. Was he supposed to have found her a job at Pearson Hardman? Why hadn't he thought about her career when he just quit?

She rolled her eyes "Oh well that's going to make my decision easier"

"What does that mean?"

"Choosing between three firms that have already contacted me. I mean if I had another one, I don't know what I would do" she gritted her teeth, feigning worry, sarcasm dripping from every pore. She wasn't about to show the small speck of disappointment that she couldn't add Pearson Hardman to the list.

He grinned, leaning closer "You know... it's just occurred to me that you and i don't work together any more..." he stated suggestively.

"Yeah." she nodded "that didn't just occur to you."

His smile widened, not remotely guilty that he had just been caught out on his poor attempt of a lie. "No, it didn't"

Donna half shrugged, biting her lip "Do you know how I know that?"

"Because you knew I'd show up here the second you heard I quit?" he countered, sounding smug, being the usual egoistical Harvey Specter. She tried to keep a straight expression, wanting to ooze confidence as she raised the can of whipped cream in her hand, improvising.

"Why do you think i have this in my hand?" _Because ten seconds before you arrived i was trying to worry binge on whipped cream _she thought.

He bit his lip, finding it increasingly difficult, and uncomfortable to keep up this verbal foreplay, desperate to put his many talents into practice. "What are we waiting for?"

"For you to figure out it's time to come inside" and that's al he needed to hear as she opened her door further, wordlessly ushering him in as he helped push the door closed behind him. His lips were on hers the moment the door clicked shut, the can of whipped cream falling from her grip as she slid her hands under his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders as it fell to the ground.

What happened next was a memory that the two of them would remember for the rest of their days; every kiss, every touch, every moan etched into their brains. A trail of discarded clothes paved the path from the door to her bed where two years of shameless flirting and pent up sexual frustration had reared it's head, exploding into one unforgettable night, causing an irreparable shift in their relationship and their feelings for one another. She couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she fell asleep in his arms, wondering why she hadn't just broken her rule sooner? That night she fell asleep with hope in her heart.

He starred at her sleeping peacefully; secretly admiring the beauty he had always known but never truly appreciated until now. He spent countless nights with nameless faces, but never had watched one of them sleep in his arms, never had he found himself lazily drawing patterns over her exposed skin as he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. He was captivated by the red haired wonder, and unlike the vast majority of the women he had slept with in his years; he couldn't help but imagine doing this again and again. But Harvey Specter wasn't one to commit. The only thing he could commit to was work, work would always be his first priority (or so he desperately tried to convince himself), and his personal life would always come second. He and Donna worked because they complimented one another, embraced each other's flaws and managed to be completely professional whilst being the best of friends.

What would the added pressure of a potential relationship bare on the two of them? Could they really just hook up the once and act like nothing happened? How could either of them want that after the night they had? He was torn, and he knew that he had made a mistake. He wasn't ready to define their relationship, he wasn't ready to face or fight whatever feelings were buried deep inside, he wasn't ready to lose her.

So he gently peeled her body off of him, slowly rolling her to the side as he crept out of bed, like he had done so many times, with so many girls worth half as Donna. The feeling of guilt didn't leave him when he put his clothes on, or tip toed out of her apartment. It didn't disappear when he leant against her door, silently wishing he could rewind the last 5 minutes and crawl back into bed with her. The guilt didn't leave him when he let himself into his empty condo as he dragged his tired body to the bathroom, catching his reflection in the mirror. He bit his lip as his finger traced the faint lines of smudged lipstick over his face, wondering if she was still peacefully asleep or awake wondering where the hell he was. He didn't sleep that night.

She awoke with the same smile on her face as she rolled over, extending her arms to wrap them around him, but it fell onto the cold mattress. Her eyes fluttered open, her stomach instantly dropping as she noted the unoccupied space beside her. Her chest felt heavy as she dragged herself out of bed, trying to convince herself that he was somewhere in her apartment, but he wasn't. With every passing second, that hope she felt a matter of hours before faded into an overwhelming wave of emotion.

Donna hadn't cried over a man since she was 19 and her high school sweetheart went away to college across the country. She didn't believe in crying over a man, but this was Harvey. They had put so much at stake for one night, and now they'd both lost. She spent that day curled under a blanket on her sofa with the only two men who had been loyal to her- Ben and Jerry, periodically bursting into tears as she watched films that only seemed to highlight how alone she really was.

Six espressos later, he found himself in Jessica Pearson's office, buzzing from the caffeine, determination etched on his face. He couldn't turn back time, but he could do the next best thing, he could restore their previous dynamic, he could get her a job. Some would say that he begged, he would say that he threatened, but the result was the same, he had got her a position as his executive assistant at Pearson Hardman. Jessica's reluctance was squashed as she noticed his expression as he fought for her, his willingness to pay her wages out of his pay check, how he would give up his dream job, for her.

She starred at her phone as it rang relentlessly, a photo of Harvey filling her screen as she pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling her headache returning. She bit her lip harshly, as she closed her eyes, her hand grabbing the phone as she slowly accepted the call.

"Donna" he breathed, his voice filling her ears, her stomach flipping as she felt the familiar feeling of tears burn at her eyes. She tried to open her mouth and formulate a coherent response, but if she was honest, she didn't know what to say or if she even had the energy to say it. "Donna" his tone changed, noting her silence "Look, we need to talk. Can you meet me at the cafe opposite the office in an hour, please?"

She nodded and hung up, not fully aware that he couldn't see through phones or telepathically read her mind.

He was already sitting in a booth, staring intently at a cup of coffee as she entered, her arms subconsciously wrapping themselves around her body like a shield. She gulped harshly, momentarily stopping at the door as his eyes flickered up, catching her eye. He shot her one of his famous lopsided smiles as she slipped into the booth, her lips pursed in a tight line.

"So what was so important that you just had to see me" she blurted out nervously, playing with her hands, not particularly sure of how she should act around Harvey now.

He sighed, sensing her reluctance to be there "I don't know how to say it" he paused, taking a deep breath "so I'm just gonna come out and say it, but i don't want to lose you...come work for me"

She froze, her heart pounding in her chest as stared blankly at the man before her. He didn't want to lose her? But...he left her? "What?"

"Don't work for Scadden or any of the others" he pleaded, "I took a job at my old firm" _No shit Sherlock, _she thought, she was Donna, she knew this before he did. "I was hoping you'd be happy" he admitted, eyebrows furrowed, feeling slightly dejected by her response, or lack of response as the case may be.

"I am" she assured, a smile not quite making it to her lips.

"If this is about your rule..."

"No its not about that" she quickly interrupted, not wanting to go down this route again.

"Because if I had known if that this was going to happen i would have never come over..."

She frowned, not knowing whether or not she should have felt offended by his statement. She knew that he probably said what he said because he respected her and her wishes, but she couldn't help but wonder if this was all because the opportunity was there, that no true emotions played a role.

"Why didn't you know it was going to happen?" she asked, now curious as to why he hadn't thought about taking her with him, why he hadn't tried initially.

"Because I haven't thought about taking another job before, and when i did..." he paused, nervously running his tongue over his lips, plucking up the courage to verbalize his feelings "I thought about who i wanted to take it with." she stared, trying to put on a front, trying to disguise what his words were doing to her inside "Look, I don't want to find out what kind of lawyer id be without you"

She was torn, her eyes wide, her expression blank as she let out a long sigh, her eyes momentarily closing as she shook her head, torn. It was as if she had an angel on one shoulder, a devil on the other, there were pros and cons, there was a rule that had now been broken. How could they possibly work together now? She knew what to do, and part of her knew that it was the only real option for her, she would always put Harvey first, but to do so, she had to lie to herself and kill any chances of her getting what she truly wanted.

_Him._

"Okay I will come work for you on two conditions" he nodding, willing to listen "We put it out of our minds and we never mention it again" she said firmly, referring to the night before as he slowly nodded, pursing his lips together. He knew that was coming, he knew he had blown it, and that it was all too good to be true to begin with. His curt nod was an agreement to the term, a silent agreement to compartmentalize and store away feelings that had been progressively building for the last two years. It was an agreement for him to try and learn how to lie to himself and put to bed the thoughts of him getting what he truly wanted.

_Her._

"And the second?" he asked hoarsely, trying to hide the frown that was threatening to form on his face.

"You're giving me a huge goddamn signing bonus." she smirked smugly, as he grinned, the two of them instantly falling back into place. They smiled at one another for a couple of seconds, knowing what the other one felt, trying to telepathically reassure the other that this was all for the best, that this was how it was always destined to be.

He would never tell her that he fought for her place at Pearson Hardman.

She would never tell him that she quit, in the silent hope that he would fight for her.

Together they would continue to be the unstoppable dream team that was envied by all, together they would hand in hand struggle through the unspoken words, the intensifying feelings and the regrets they both felt. Together they would attempt to defy the odds and work as if nothing ever happened.

One day, they would give up fighting and just be _together._

**Okay i am a bad woman. Here's another one shot. I have always wondered how ****_the other time_**** happened, what the aftermath was etc, so this is what i think it would have been like. It's not 100% true to the flash back, but if you care too much, then you make me sad. i spent like half an hour watching the clip to make sure the dialogue was from the episode. I dont know if i like this but hey ho.**

**Drop me a review and let me know what you think, it takes a few seconds and you will put a smile on this very tired girls face.**


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